Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to medical equipment for measuring blood glucose levels, and more particularly to a blood glucose measuring instrument having internet-based communication features.
2. Description of the Background Art
A patient, having been taught how to use an existing portable glucose monitor is generally required thereafter to independently conduct and record their own measurements. Furthermore, the patient typically is required to both record and assess the measurements without benefit from their practitioner or a supervising authority. Numerous errors can arise from these unsupervised procedures that may result in serious health risks for patients which knowingly, or inadvertently, are not in compliance with medical directives.
Typically, patients using a glucose monitor are given a schedule of measurements to be complied with and a notebook in which to record the measurements. Patients often forget, or in some instances forego, conducting and correctly recording their glucose levels as measured by the instrument. If a patient skips a measurement they may even elect to write down a xe2x80x9clikelyxe2x80x9d number in the notebook as if such a measurement had been taken. Patient interaction with such a manual glucose monitoring instrument therefore provides no assurance of correct measurement and recordation. Furthermore, patients in a myriad of situations may require additional information and assistance with regard to the use and maintenance of their glucose measurement instrument.
In addition, to assure glucose measurement accuracy, a measuring instrument may require periodic calibration and assuring calibration compliance on instruments in the field is burdensome.
Therefore, a need exists for a glucose monitoring system that provides a link between the patient and the practitioner to encourage compliance and facilitate equipment calibration. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes deficiencies in current monitoring systems and procedures.
The present invention is a glucose monitoring device with remote communications capabilities. According to an aspect of the invention, a data link is provided between the equipment and a centralized station, or server. The centralized station can monitor important information, such as: equipment calibration, the diligence of a patient taking and recording measurements according to a schedule, and the actual measurements taken by the patient. The centralized station is preferably capable of forwarding information to the patient""s physician for evaluation. In addition, the centralized station can have optional capability of locking out the patient if the patient has not paid his or her bills. According to another aspect of the invention, the information is communicated from the glucose monitor directly to the physician. As can be seen, therefore, the invention links the monitoring activities performed by the patient and the assessment of those activities by the physician while reducing the chance of human error introduced into the long-term monitoring and treatment process.
By way of example, and not of limitation, a non-invasive subsurface spectrophotometer instrument equipped with a communications link according to the invention takes the glucose measurements and communicates them over a network, such as the internet. The spectrophotometer instrument comprises data communication circuitry, such as dial-up circuitry, and additional session control protocols which integrate a number of the functions within the instrument for communication over a network connection. A destination site, or sites, on the network are configured to receive information from the instrument and to transmit information and services.
An object of the invention is to provide a link from patient to practitioner over which timely communication of pertinent glucose monitoring information can travel.
Another object of the invention is to provide for remote monitoring of patient compliance.
Another object of the invention is to provide for remote equipment monitoring and calibration by a central station.
Another object of the invention is to provide for periodic transmission of measurement results.
Another object of the invention is to provide network communication over a standardized communications interface.
Another object of the invention is to provide a communications structure which can support data encryption.
Another object of the invention is to aid compliance by alerting the patient, by sound or visual cues, when the time arrives to conduct a measurement.
Another object of the invention is to reduce human error in conducting and recording measurements.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate secretive non-compliance, wherein a patient enters fictional measurement data into the measurement log.
Another object of the invention is to provide the capability of generating programmed practitioner warnings when measurements fall outside the bounds of a selected range.
Another object of the invention is to provide a panic button which allows a concerned patient to alert their practitioner.
Another object of the invention is to engender practical practitioner guidance to patients.
Another object of the invention is to allow the instrument manufacturer to track compliance and calibration of the glucose monitoring instrument.
Another object of the invention is to provide an accurate database that may be used by insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon.